So I am still on this plantain mission – last week it was Plantain Pancakes – sweet enough to satisfy any sweet tooth or cravings, but healthy enough to not leave that “guilty” aftertaste in the mouth. A winner at every turn, if you ask me…
Anyway, I am not going through a plantain bingeing episode – although my last two posts would suggest otherwise…and you would be forgiven for coming to that conclusion.
The truth is that I bought one plantain too many, and you know these things – they all tend to ripen at the same time..and if you know anything about me, you’d know that I’d rather give up my big toe (nothing against that toe i might add), than allow food to go to waste.
Meatballs are a great comfort food, and this meatless version is packed with oodles of flavour from the herbs and spices.
Enjoy it with spaghetti or on a bed of polenta, a leafy green salad. And a glass of wine which is non-negotiable!
- 1 ripe plantain approx. 200g in weight
- 1 onion medium-sized approx. 100g, chopped
- 2 tsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper de-seeded
- 20 g fresh cilantro leaves chopped
- 20 g fresh curly parsley leaves chopped
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 garlic clove chopped
- 1 tbsp seasoned breadcrumbs heaped
- black pepper to taste
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce reduced sodium
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp ginger freshly chopped
- 0.5 tsp sesame oil
- Peel the plantain and chop it into 5 or 6 pieces. Peel and roughly chop the onions.
- Place the chopped plantain and onions in a blender, along with the garlic, cotch bonnet, coriander and parsley leaves and pulse for about a minute or long enough to blend the mixture into a smooth paste. Be careful not to blend for too long otherwise the mixture will become very "watery" and difficult to shape into balls.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the spices, and breadcrumbs and mix in. Again, do not overwork the mixture.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and using a spoon, spoon and shape the mixture into ball shapes onto the baking tray. Drizzle the olive oil over the balls.
- Place in a pre-heated oven (180 degrees fan-assisted or 200 degrees celsius) and bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until browned
- Transfer the meatballs to the pan and swirl them around the pan to ensure they are completely coated with the sauce.
- Add the sesame oil to a pan and when hot, fry the ginger on medium heat for 1 -- 2 minutes to release the flavours. Add the honey and soy to the mixture and reduce the heat to low. Allow to simmer for a few minutes, stirring continuously.
Pay close attention to the heat while simmering the sauce which can boil over quickly if too hot.
The sauce reduces during the simmering, and these measurements will yield a small amount just enough for basting the meatballs. If you would like to use it as a dipping sauce, you can easily double or triple the measurements.
Is this recipe right for you?
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